Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-02
AGRgCULTURAL INTERESTS.
Rec snsue ndatiOns OF Commissions,
Coimau in His Annual Report.

A NEW METHOD or SEED DISTRIBUTION PROPOSED
BEST SUGAR MISUNDERSTANDING our PLEURo-
PNEUMONIA, SILK Keeling, ETC.
The annual report OF Commissioner Colman. OF
the Agricultural Department, has been laid before
the President 1t recommends the abolition OF
the seed department and the transfer OF It's duties
TO the state and Territorial experiment stations,
on the ground that the directors OF those insttu-
tons know better the wants OF their respective
localities than the Department here.
In regard to the elevation OF the Agricultural De-
partment to an executive department. Commits
sioner Colman discusses 1t In q manner TO show
that he does not regard the change as expedient
While the development Of beet sugar Is still In
the experimental stage the Commissioner thinks
enough Is known TO enable the country TO antici-
plant as easy OF cultivation as corn. but nttl .
circumscrtbed by climatic Influences, and one
whose 6y-products have value equal TO the cost
The large wheat product OF this coun-
try and It's Importance are spoken of, and
or or the bureau of animal mai Industry " has
been greatly extended during the past year. The
governors OF thirtyone states and Territories have
accepted the rules and regulations OF the bureau
and promised the assistance OF local police officers
TO secure their enforcement. The regions infected
with cattle disease have been placed under rigid
quarantine and no cattle allowed TO leave them
without careful examination and special permit
Among the localities where the cattle disease ex-
iSlcu tHc Vi tdTrOi,
and Prince Georges, In Maryland, are named, but
through the industry and vigilance OF the animal
bureau fresh outbreaks OF the disease have been
prevented, and in localities IL has been stamped
out The outbreak OF pleuro- pneumonia at Chicago
which threatened To cripple the cattle industry OF
the country, has been by prompt and energetic
measures entirely extirpated. There has not, says
the report, been a time In years when this mal1dy
has been confined to such restrictive areas as at
present, and consequently the conditions are very
favorable for lis complete eradication.
Ia relation to the Departments experiments in
SILK reeilny, the Commissioner says he has the ver
bal admission OF Mr.. Serrell, the inventor OF the
machinery now in use, that American girls can do
twice as much work in a given time as the same
number employed In the south OF France. This all
mission, he adds, is fully cOrrObOrated by other
evidence In his possession. The experiments have
not yet reached the point OF paying their own ex-
penSeS, but that, the Commissioner says, was
hardly to be hoped for with plant so limited.
Another years experience, IL Is expected, Will
show what could be done '.under factory condi-
tons"
The Commissioner recommends that the Public
Printer be authorized TO furnish the agricultural
press of the country at the cost or labor and
material eectrOtypeS OF such illustrations OF the
Department as the editors may desire, holding
that many OF these merit a much wider circulation
than they can get In the reports Of the Depart
ment- He renews his recommendation tor the
erection of a new laboratory building.